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from another province,
state or country, or up to 12
months if they also hold an
International Driver's Permit
issued outside of Canada.
APPROXIMATE
SPEED CONVERSIONS
50 kph = 30 mph
100 kph = 60 mph
DRIVER SERVICES CENTRE
Royal Centre
Suite 221 – 1055 W.
Georgia, Vancouver, B.C.
800.950.1498, icbc.com
B.C. BUCKLES UP
The use of safety belts,
child safety seats, bicycle
helmets and motorcycle
helmets is mandatory in
British Columbia.
MONEY
CURRENCY
Notes are in denominations
of $100, $50, $20, $10 and
$5. Coins are in denominations
of $2 ("toonie"), $1 ("loonie"),
25¢ (quarter), 10¢ (dime) and
5¢ (nickel). Visitors are urged
to exchange their funds for
Canadian dollars at a bank
or foreign exchange outlet
where they will receive the
prevailing rate of exchange.
As of 2013, Canada no longer
has a 1¢ coin – all cash
transactions are rounded to
the nearest 5¢ increment.
BANK MACHINES/
CREDIT CARDS
Most bank machines in
Metro Vancouver offer
service on the Plus, Cirrus
and Interac networks. They
also generally accept credit
card withdrawals. If you use
your credit card to get cash
from an ATM , the currency
exchange is automatically
done for you at the rate your
credit card company offers.
Vancouver welcomes all
major credit cards.
TIPPING
Tips or service charges are not
usually added to a restaurant
bill in Canada. Tipping your
server at a bar, restaurant,
nightclub or pub is standard
practice, and in general, a tip of
15 to 20 per cent of the pre-tax
amount is suggested. Porters
at airports, railway stations
and hotels are generally
given $1 to $2 per bag.
TAXES
A federal goods and services
tax (GST) of five per cent
applies to most purchased
goods and services. In
addition, a provincial sales
tax (PST) of seven per cent
is applicable to most retail
purchases except liquor,
which is taxed at 10 per cent.
ALCOHOL
AND SMOKING
Minors (anyone under
19 years of age) are not
admitted into nightclubs
serving alcohol. In Vancouver,
smoking is not permitted
in any indoor public space
(including public transit,
shopping malls, restaurants,
pubs, nightclubs and casinos)
or outdoors within six metres
of a door or window of a
public space. Please smoke
in designated areas only.
FREQUENTLY
USED NUMBERS
• Tourism Vancouver
Visitor Centre Message
Centre: leave a message
at 604.683.2000 or
email visitvancouver@
tourismvancouver.com
• Emergency (Police, Fire,
Ambulance): 911
• City of Vancouver
Inquiries: 311
• Non-Emergency Police:
604.717.3321 (24 hours)
• Public Transit:
604.953.3333 (Monday
to Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to
11:30 p.m.), translink.ca
• BC Ferries: 250.386.3431
(recorded information),
888.223.3779 (in B.C.),
bcferries.com
• BC Parks: 604.924.2200,
env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks
• Weather Report:
604.664.9010
• Road Report:
800.550.4997, drivebc.ca
• Canada Customs:
800.461.9999 (in
Canada), 204.983.3500
(outside Canada), cbsa-
asfc.gc.ca
• Fish & Wildlife
Environment Canada:
604.582.5200, ec.gc.ca
• Fisheries & Oceans
Canada: 604.666.2828,
dfo-mpo.gc.ca
• Discover Camping:
604.689.9025 (within
Lower Mainland),
800.689.9025 (outside
Lower Mainland),
discovercamping.ca
• Ski Information:
cypressmountain.com,
grousemountain.com,
whistlerblackcomb.com
